248 Wild Bird Guests 



the writer much faith in the belling of cats. In- 

 nocent young birds which are often the victims 

 pay no attention to a bell, and though adult 

 birds may often be saved by the warning tinkle, 

 so will the rats and mice, to destroy which the 

 cats are presumably kept. Confinement is cer- 

 tainly effective and cat owners should resort to 

 this method to whatever extent is necessary to 

 prevent their pets from killing birds. If the cat 

 owner will think the matter over very calmly, 

 he will realize that his neighbor has certain rights 

 which should be respected; rights which his 

 neighbor should, if necessary, insist on having 

 respected the right to do his duty by protecting 

 our native birds, for instance. A cat owner who 

 persists in balking a neighbor who is unselfishly 

 striving to do his duty in this way, simply be- 

 cause it may be pleasant or convenient to keep 

 cats, places himself in an absolutely untenable 

 position. He has no more right to do it than 

 he has to keep a savage dog at large and thus 

 prevent his neighbor from voting. Personally I 

 insist on my rights in this matter. My bird 

 guests are and always will be assured of the 

 fullest protection I can give them. Further- 

 more, cats are not allowed in the Bird Sanctuary 

 which is under my management. It would be a 

 crime to lure song birds to a supposed haven of 



